Museum Exhibit: Violence, Women, and Art

 Updated 3/2017-- all links (except to my own posts) removed as many no longer active.

I stumbled upon the news of this exhibit when I visited the CDC’s website and clicked on the button  “CDC Museum.”    Did you know the CDC had a museum?  Well, I don’t think I was aware of it.

This exhibit opened June 6th and will run through September 9, 2011 at the CDC’s Global Health Odyssey Museum.  The exhibit, Off the Beaten Path: Violence, Women and Art, focuses on the prevention of violence against women. 

The work of 28 contemporary artists from 24 countries is presented.  The art works address the issues of violence against women and girls around the world and their basic human rights to a safe and secure life.

Among the artists featured in Off the Beaten Path are: Yoko Ono (Japan), Louise Bourgeois (France), Wangechi Mutu (Kenya), Mona Hatoum (Palestine), and Hank Willis Thomas (USA).

The project which I was able to view online is powerful, emotional.  The exhibit can be viewed online:  Off the Beaten Path virtual exhibition (link no longer active, 3/2017)

or you can attend in person at the Global Health Odyssey Museum.  Their hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM with hours extended on Thursday to 7 pm. The museum is closed on all federal holidays.

Some of the CDC’s quick facts on violence against women:

About one in 11 teens reports being a victim of physical dating violence each year.¹
About one in four teens reports verbal, physical, emotional, or sexual violence each year.²
About one in five high school girls has been physically or sexually abused by a dating partner.³
Each year, women experience about 4.8 million intimate partner related physical assaults and rapes. Men are the victims of about 2.9 million intimate partner related physical assaults.⁴
Intimate partner violence (IPV) resulted in 2,340 deaths in 2007. Of these deaths, 70% were females and 30% were males.⁵
The medical care, mental health services, and lost productivity (e.g., time away from work) cost of IPV was an estimated $5.8 billion in 1995. Updated to 2003 dollars, that's more than $8.3 billion.^{6, 7}

Related post:
Domestic Violence  (May 11, 2010)

Domestic Violence

Updated 3/2017 -- all links removed as many no longer active. and it was easier than checking each one.

A car door slammed.  My husband rose quickly and went to look out the kitchen window.  Not sure who held the two flashlights, he shouted “Who’s there?  Identify yourself.”

“County Sheriff officers,”  the reply came.

I opened the front door (as my husband went to put up his gun).  Rusty ran through the door and down the walk towards the officer who quickly went back out the gate.  “He’s friendly,” I called.

“Do you know YN?” 

“Yes, she lives across the street.”

“We received a call saying her boyfriend had beaten her up and she has a head injury.  We can’t get anyone to answer the door.”

By this time my husband had reappeared.  “Give me a minute to get some shoes and go over with you.”

“Do you know your neighbor well,”  the office asked as we waited for my husband to dress.

“Only well enough to say hello.  Wave as we pass.  She recently told us about having a restraining order on her boyfriend.  He’s not suppose to come around.  She asked us to keep an eye out.”

The office speaks into his walkie-talkie, “There’s a restraining order.  We’re in the correct place.   Headed back with the neighbor to look again.”

My husband comes back out the door and heads over with the officers.  I head back inside.  The clock says 3:35 am.

When he returns, he tells me they got no answer.  Her car isn’t there either.  She had called for help using her cell phone, but had not given a location.  Returns calls from the sheriff’s office all were going to voice mail.

We tried to get back to sleep, hoping they would find her.

 

AARDVARC.org stands for “An Abuse, Rape and Domestic Violence Aid and Resource Collection” and has a list of numbers by county in the state of Arkansas for help.

In Pulaski County:

Crisis Response Team (Maumelle)                   501-803-3388
Dorcas House (Little Rock)                                 501-374-4022
Victim/Witness Program                                      501-340-8000
Women and Children First (Little Rock)         501-376-3219

Another source for Arkansas Shelters is Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  

If you are in danger:
Call 911
Your local hotline or
U.S. hotline 800-799-SAFE (7233)
Teen Dating Abuse Helpline:
866-331-9474